


It's /hard/ to keep my cool

by Hilios



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Titans (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Armin Arlert & Eren Yeager Are Best Friends, Armin Arlert is a Little Shit, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Awkward Boners, Awkward Flirting, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, First Meetings, Freedom, Friendship, Gay Character, Lesbian Character, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Tattoo Artist Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Tattooed Eren Yeager, Tattooed Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Tattoos, Teasing, Unrequited Crush, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:09:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29976489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hilios/pseuds/Hilios
Summary: "So I have to take you out on a date before we can continue?", Eren grinned cheekily, wanting to be the one to tease now.Aka the fanfic in which Eren has a big fat crush on Levi.  Levi is yet to be wooed.Title taken from Dojo-senpai/Neku-senpai(no i don't take that back. It sounds funny in my head so I'll leave it like that for now)
Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	It's /hard/ to keep my cool

**Author's Note:**

> This will take a while to continue, but please do enjoy this first chapter.  
> I am not a big shipper of ereri but i saw this fanart https://twitter.com/inunekosukii/status/878288656015872004?s=20  
> and i kinda got inspired... Yep.  
> (I kinda don't ship anyone in aot. I learned it the hard way. Isayama gives us nothing but pain)

"Are you sure about this?", Armin looks at his best friend with narrowed eyes. Eren chuckles. "I have 14 tattoos already, one more will give me my lucky number"  
15 wasn't his lucky number, and judging by Armin's scowl and still crossed arms, he knows it too. "That's not the point, you know", Armin isn't angry, he is just irritated. Don't get him wrong, tattoos are fine, he doesn't want one himself and was very skeptical when Eren first mentioned wanting one a few years ago, but he likes the way they look on Eren. But that's not the point. Eren talks about getting a tattoo in a place that is, for the lack of a better word, unconventional?  
"I don't know what you mean.", Says Eren, his expression bored and slightly annoyed.  
The two men are at the mall looking for a present for Mikasa. Her birthday would be in four days, and while Armin already got her the sunglasses she had been eyeing and a new bottle of her usual soft smelling Perfume, Eren himself still doesn't know what to get her. They just left the beauty store after the purchase. Eren thought about buying her makeup, but he doesn't even know if she wears any. He quickly drops that idea.

A new scarf? Eren doubts she would wear it. She still wears the one Eren put around her the first winter they spent together after becoming his adopted sister 10 years ago.

Eren sighs.  
What about jewelry? Maybe a necklace, or earrings?  
"Armiiiin", he whines, "What should I get her?"  
Armin ignores him. Eren still hasn't answered or even reacted appropriately after he dropped the news bomb: "I want a tattoo on my dick".  
Armin decides to wait and ignore his best friend's attempt to change the conversation. He keeps looking at him expectantly.  
"Ok, maybe not on my dick." Eren drops the act. " Seems like that would be kinda hard to get done anyways. But like, I think I want it on my hip." He motions around his crotch area.  
Armin finally uncrosses his arms and his frown disappears. He has a pensive look. " Do you know what tattoo you want? A drawing or a word? "  
Of course, Eren has thought about it. "I'll get the name of my first true love." He says smiling.

"Levi Ackerman?" Silence.

"What?" Eren's eyes grow comically wide. "No! Where did you even get that idea from? It's Uruha!"  
The GazettE has a deep meaning for Eren. The alternative rock band was his first concert, it was their songs he started learning the guitar for, and while he admired other bands like ONE OK ROCK or even American bands like Linkin Park, Nirvana, green day, and the Weezers, The GazettE has a special place in his heart.

Armin snickers a bit, but he proceeds to walk towards a toy store close by. Eren follows, still bewildered and confused. His cheeks are burning a little bit, it's probably because Armin took him by surprise when he mentioned their mutual friend Levi.  
Eren got his first tattoo in Levi's parlor.  
It was pretty cliche, the day he turned 18, he stepped into the first tattoo parlor he found on his way home from University. It happened to be Levi's, a man about five years older than himself, but shorter.

The first time Eren saw him, he thought he was just a part-timer, consumed in his notebook full of quick sketches and amazing designs. But then a short-haired teenager approached him, asking if he had an appointment.  
"No, I just... I don't have an appointment, but I would like to get a tattoo today, if possible." Eren had to swallow before he could let himself talk because even though he had been dreaming of getting a tattoo for about 3 years, he was still a bit nervous. "Ok. I'm Connie, by the way," The curt but warm smile of the other teenager made him feel calmer. Connie led him to a table and gave him some forms to fill in.  
"Can I have your name, age, and phone number? I will need to see an official document too."

Eren breathed out and answered the questions. " Here, my driver's license. I'm Eren, just turned 18 and my phone number," he was quickly given a paper and a pen, "Ah yes, thank you."  
After filling everything in, he approached the desk and only then did the short guy he first noticed look up from his notebook.

It wasn't love of first sight, don't come with that bullshit. It was more of a realization because the first thought Eren had when looking into that man's face and seeing his sharp, blazing eyes was not oh my God I'm in love. It was more like I'd let him step on me, no regrets.  
While that may seem even worse, at that time Eren couldn't feel shame for his desire. He didn't even wonder if that man could step on him, a teen a good head taller.

"That's Levi, he will show you some of his designs and then get it done for you." Connie said while typing something into a laptop.

Levi, suits him.

Levi stood up and motioned for Eren to follow him into a room a bit further down the corridor. Eren started looking around at the interior but there wasn't anything interesting. A few designs were hanging on the walls, which were white and clean and from the ceiling hung a lamp with a simplistic chandelier.

"We opened not long ago, we didn't have time to furnish everything yet", Levi said and Eren didn't know why he was so surprised by the deep tone.

"Oh", Eren didn't know what he should say. He couldn't give words of consolation, the situation wasn't fitting. It was a bit awkward but if Levi thought the same, he didn't show it.  
They entered a room at the end of the corridor and sat down at an ordinary table. The room looked a bit like an office except for the saddle stool and the hydraulic tattoo chair on the other side of the room closer to the wide and clear window.  
Levi pulled out a few folders and opened them for Eren.

Eren looked at the designs, they were black and simple, but very neat and artistic. There were some words written out in unique and sometimes even in obnoxiously swung fonts, almost unreadable.  
In the three years Eren yearned for a tattoo, he gave the position and design a lot of thought already.  
He knew what he wanted.

Levi looked up to him after getting no reaction to the shown designs.  
"What exactly are you looking for? I'm showing you these because they're the most popular ones for newbies. They're simple but pretty and easily adjustable to any parts of the body."  
Eren nodded but then pulled out a paper from his pocket. It was his design, the result of a long and exhausting combination of self-taught drawing and inspiration from the internet.  
He gave the paper to Levi, who frowned a bit. "I drew this myself." Eren admitted quietly. While he liked it, he wasn't sure if Levi would think the same and agree to draw it.  
"Where do you want it?" Levi asked instead.  
Eren was relieved. The drawing was simple, yet held a meaning. Black and grey wings, he wanted them over his collarbones. While one may argue that the back of the neck would be a more appropriate placement, he envisioned them in front where he could see them and be reminded of their meaning.  
Freedom and hope.

"Collarbones. Is that alright?"

Levi nodded. "It's gonna hurt like a bitch though. It's not the most convenient spot for a tattoo and it can fade quickly if you expose it to sunlight too much. Do you often wear clothes that show your collarbones?"  
Levi looked at him and Eren felt his heart beating faster. His eyes.They were grey and narrow and beautiful. Mysterious even. This is bad, Eren thought. He coughed awkwardly, feeling embarrassed and weirdly transparent, fearing that Levi might have read his thoughts.  
"I wear hoodies most of the time." He answered, rubbing his neck.

"Even in summer?" Levi's eyebrows raised and shit if that wasn't hot. It made it hard for Eren to think.

"No, but sometimes, with nothing underneath... It's bearable. I mean without a t-shirt, just the hoodie and some pants. And like sandals if ..." His eyes grew comically wide when he realized that he had been spurting nonsense. Levi didn't say anything but now only his left eyebrow was raised and again, how did he look so attractive?  
"Let me ask you this: do you mind people seeing the tattoo?"

Eren bit his lip, shaking his head. He really wouldn't mind. A tattoo on the collarbones is meant to stand as a statement anyways.

"Ok then."  
He took out a paper and drew the wings onto it. Eren was impressed by the finesse with which Levi copied the drawing one on one. "Let's get started. Are you ready?" Levi motioned for Eren to follow him to the window side of the room.  
Levi sat down on the saddle stool and Eren took place on the surprisingly very comfortable tattoo chair. When he nodded Levi said: "If you want to go to the toilet do it now. It will take about half an hour."  
"I'm good."  
Levi nodded and proceeded to open a new needle and take out ink and black latex gloves. After getting the ink and needle ready, he put on the gloves.

"Take off your shirt" Levi said unceremoniously but Eren flushed anyway. It's not every day you have a hot man telling you to get undressed. He took a heavy breath to calm his nerves and slowly pulled his shirt up. He felt piercing eyes burn holes into him, but he was too afraid to look up to clear his suspicion.  
"I'm not gonna shave you, because you don't really have body hair there."

Eren nodded, highly intimidated by the situation. Was he finally going to get his tattoo? Will he regret it?

"Do you know how to take care of it later? Or do you need me to tell you?", Levi took a spray dose and wetted Eren's collarbones. The water was cold and it made the hair on his arms stand up in goosebumps. Though it might have been the sudden proximity between himself and Levi, Eren didn't know. He felt hot and cold, his exposed chest flushed and his fist clenched in a nervous manner.  
Levi took the redrawn design and held it in front of Eren's collarbones.  
His eyebrows were slightly raised again and he was looking bored but expectantly at the young boy. That was when Eren remembered to answer the question. " Ah! ", he swallowed hard. Levi's gaze didn't help him focus at all. "I read through some instructions on the internet, so... I think I'm ok." While it turned more into a question towards the end of the sentence, Eren was proud that he maintained eye contact. This resulted in a sight Eren wouldn't be able to ever forget. Levis' left eyebrow was still raised but his thin pink lips were turned up into a smirk, almost a smile.  
He turned around and gave Eren a mirror, still smirking. "Hold it up so you can tell me where exactly you want the tattoo."  
He is too close. How. Am. I. Supposed. To. Stay. Calm?  
Eren's cheeks were burning and he had trouble breathing normally. "Here is good" he said once he was satisfied. Levi's lips still had traces of his smirk and Eren felt the urge to tell him that he liked his smile. But maybe it wasn't a smile out of genuine kindness, maybe Levi just enjoyed Eren making a fool out of himself.  
The short male pressed the drawing on Eren's wet collarbones, pasting the lines onto his body.

"Ready?", Levi looked up slowly from Eren's collarbones to his eyes, making the young teen flush and tremble, while removing the paper.

Eren took a deep breath and nodded, clenching and unclenching his hands.

It hurt.  
It hurt so much.  
He was warned, he read about the process, but it still didn't prepare him enough for the pain he felt the moment the needle touched his skin. Eren bit his lip and clenched his hands even more. He closed his eyes, trying to ground himself and keep his brain from focusing on the pain spreading from his collarbones. In his head, he sang along to Linkin Park's Numb.

"From one to ten, how bad?"  
Levi's deep voice brought him back to reality.  
"Huh?", Eren opened his eyes and instantly regretted it. Levi was very close, he could almost feel the man's breath hitting his face.  
"If it hurts too much you can hold onto something if you want.", Levi said calmly in a low tone.  
Eren nodded unable to form words, his tongue heavy and his nose yearning for oxygen he wouldn't let himself breathe in. He grabbed something, which happened to be Levi's biceps. It felt nice and firm and the fabric it was covered with was thin. If being honest, Levi's shirt was very thin, almost see-through. It also had a deep cutout, showing off quite a bit of his cleavage. Levi had quite a few tattoos on his neck and shoulders but none on his collarbones. Eren wondered if his arms were inked and what kind of tattoos Levi would have.  
Back from his daydream, Eren noticed he was clutching Levi's arm, which made it harder for the tattooist to do about anything. Levi cleared his throat, closed his eyes, and chuckled a bit. " You know I can't work like this, do you ?" He opened his gaze and it was intense. Eren didn't know what was happening to his body but he could not breathe, think or move. He felt himself sweating, his hand clammy and his grip loosening from Levi's arm.

Only when Levi looked away, not without a glint in his eyes, could Eren retrain the oxygen his brain needed to think properly.  
He removed his hand completely from Levi, and the blush on his cheeks felt like a tattoo on its own, not fading at all.  
The boy cleared his throat. "I think... I can handle this. Please continue."  
His voice cracked a bit when he said please, but he couldn't look at Levi so he wouldn't know if the latter noticed.  
When Levi started working again, Eren told himself to stop overthinking. It did not matter if Levi thought he was being weird. In his defense, Eren could always say he was nervous, or tired, whatever. But in a way, it still mattered to the brunette. He did want to make a good impression on the older and being an anxious mess was less than attractive. His sweaty hands and the whole arm grabbing incident were just like the icing or the cherry on top. Eren was pretty sure Levi was making fun of him now when he recalled the other's small smile or the dangerously pretty glint in those grey eyes.

"Half an hour you said?", Eren asked cautiously. Levi nodded but proceeded to work the ink along the lines of the wings.

Eren closed his eyes. He wasn't sleeping, the pain would not let him, but he was happy it wasn't painful enough to make him fall unconscious. It was quiet except for the soft sound the machine emitted, and once in a while Eren's low groans and winces.  
When he finally looked at Levi again, meaning he opened his eyes because Levi's face was directly in front of him, Eren saw a soft red tint on the latter's cheeks and a single drop of sweat running down from his forehead. It was sexy and Eren stared for a while. They were very close, Eren could almost count Levi's long, dark lashes.  
His eyebrows were brought together in a small frown.  
When Eren moved his gaze further down, he saw that Levi's lips were slightly parted, tongue poking out on the corner of his top lip.

Eren closed his eyes again. He never had a type but now, he wasn't so sure anymore. Levi looked fierce, but soft at the same time. For a second Eren imagined Levi actually stepping on him, but he was able to push that thought out of his head in time to not get a boner. It was the last thing Eren could want right at that moment.  
For the rest of the procedure, the brunette tried to keep his mind from slipping into dangerous territory by imagining his dad's angry expression once he would see the tattoo. Or his mum's small smile because she was all in for Eren getting this tattoo, she even gave him feedback on the design and idea. This memory made Eren smile.

"Something wrong? ", Levi asked suddenly. Eren hadn't even noticed that the machine had stopped brimming and was a bit perplexed.  
"You on drugs? Why are u grinning so stupidly ?", Levi didn't seem mad but rather skeptical.  
"Stupid?" Eren repeated slowly.  
"Oh no, I'm not on drugs. I was just imagining things."

Levi's eyes widened. His grey eyes were sparkling and while Eren found himself slowly getting pulled into them, he quickly retracted from leaning in when he realized what he had said.  
"Ah I mean, I mean nothing dirty or sexual or weird" Eren stuttered.

"I never said that." Levi's eyebrows were raised again and he was smirking so irresistibly that the younger male almost forgot that his mouth was still open from trying to defend himself.

Before he could close his mouth, Eren felt a soft pressure under his chin, Levi's finger pushed his jaw up. It was gentle and only now did Eren notice that Levi's hands were rather cold. He shuddered. Smirking even wider, Levi put his thumb on the brunette's chin.  
"You were quite vocal just now.", Levi whispered. Now Eren could for sure say they were too close because he could feel Levi's breath.  
"What do you mean?"

"I mean the tent in my pants."

"What..." Eren was visibly confused and his blush grew. Something else grew along the way, but Eren could not pay attention to that now. The tent in Levi's pants?

"It's alright, people tend to lose control over their voice while getting tattoos. Don't worry."

Eren had been causing Levi's dick to harden? He remembered feeling uncomfortable because of the pain and low grunts leaving his mouth, but for the love of God, he didn't expect Levi to react to that.

Levi chuckled. "You're 18, right?"  
They were still very close and it even seemed as if Levi's fingers, still on Eren's chin, ventured further up, almost touching his bottom lip.

The young man could only nod. His veins were flooded with anticipation and the pain that still omitted from his collarbones faded into nothing once he felt his dick twitch in interest. He was by no means a stranger to casual hookups, but he couldn't help feeling nervous about what he was sure was about to happen. Slowly, he closed his eyes and puckered his lips.

Instead of soft lips, he was met with a flick on his forehead.  
"How amusing, brat. You thought I was gonna kiss you?"  
Eren opened his eyes, eyebrows knit together in a deeply confused frown. He felt irritated and humiliated.  
"That's... so cruel!" Eren stammered. He felt like a child that got their candy taken away by a bully.

Levi turned around to the table and picked out a band-aid to cover the fresh tattoo.

"I'm quite a bit older, you know? "  
Levi put a hand on his shoulder, once he finished tending the tattoo, looking him dead in the eye. Eren still felt like he was confronted with whiplash, the atmosphere of the room changed dramatically in mere minutes.  
When the brunette didn't react, Levi continued: "We don't even know each other. And I don't do casual stuff like that."

While Eren was still confused and irritated, he felt a bit lighter. So it wasn't just Levi making fun of him. He sighed. He should have known he was getting ahead of himself. While Levi initiated it, by pointing out his boner and putting his finger close to Eren's lips, he had not in any way stated that he was going to do anything about it. He was teasing and it was cruel and sadistic but he couldn't be fully blamed for Eren getting his hopes up.

"So I have to take you out on a date before we can continue?", Eren grinned cheekily, wanting to be the one to tease now. He felt a bit more comfortable, once he processed that Levi was attracted to him, hence the boner and did not straight out reject Eren, he took the chance to take it further.  
He looked at Levi expectedly, seeing the older roll his eyes.  
Before he could get an answer, his phone rang. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. It was Mikasa. Hesitantly he looked up to Levi who was starting to clean up the equipment. Eren sighed and picked up.

"What's up, why'd you call?"

"Where are you?" She sounded a bit out of breath.

"I told you. I'm getting a tattoo"

"Where" now her voice sounded distant, as if she had put the phone down while doing something else. Judging by the sound in the background, she was getting dressed.

"Mikasa, please, what are you trying to do?"

"I'm picking you up. I want to be there first to see the tattoo. Wait..."

Eren took a deep breath. He already promised her that she would be the first one to see it, why was she stressing out so much?

"I'm already done here" he glanced at Levi, who nodded. "I will not wait for you here. What the..."

"If you leave now, people on the street will see it. You promised me"

"It's covered with a bandaid... "

"Oh"

"Yeah... So..."

"No, that's even worse! It could get infected and..."

"Mikasa" Eren sighed in defeat. "I'm going to wait for you in that cafe, the one near my university, ok?"

"Good. It's raining so i will bring you an umbrella. Don't get soaked on your way to the cafe, understand?"

"Yeah... Thank you. I'll hang up now."

"She's quite the tiger, what?", Levi said amused.  
"Yeah... My sister, she is a bit... Controlling I guess."  
It was quiet for a while before Eren cleared his throat out. "So what about what I said earlier?"  
Levi chuckled. "Go home kid. We're closing soon."  
That's not a no, Eren thought to himself. While he didn't appreciate being called a kid, he felt hope creep through his chest. After paying and taking one of the flyers laying in the reception with instructions on how to take care of the tattoo, just to be sure, he left. Stepping out of the parlor, he looked back at Levi through the darkened glass door. It may not have been love at first sight, but Eren sure had a big fat crush.


End file.
